Canoeing on the reservoir of Nisramont (Barrage de Nisramont)
May 3, 2018
If I was up for a photo-trip with @kristof.massoels en @carlospimentel__ to test the Onak, an origami canoe? I didn't have to think long about the answer to that question. After a ‘WhatsApp-brainstorm-session’ the Barrage de Nisramont came up as the destination for this micro adventure.
Last Saturday was The Day. After we had agreed to practice our folding skills during a cozy BBQ on Friday evening, off we went to the Ardennes on Saturday to put the Onak to a test.
Having arrived at our destination, we decided to rent an extra kayak. With 3 in 1 Onak would be a too extreme test to start with, we thought. The tourist season clearly did not start yet in Nisramont, but in the Taverne Du Barrage we found a friendly young man from Ardenne Adventures , who was willing to rent us a kayak for the day.
With a lot of zeal we started to put the Onak together. The anticipated fifteen minutes that would be needed for this task, quickly became half an hour. Whether this was our fault or the canoe's, I do not dare to say.
And then comes that exciting moment when you step into the Onak and try to 'set sail' ... You guessed it. It took 1 seconds to capsize and for Kristof and Carlos to taste the fresh water of the reservoir. I had 'sacrificed' myself to be the first to go into the rented kayak, looking back, a wise decision.
With an adjusted load and improved departure technique, we finally managed to start our journey. The Nisramont reservoir, with its 47 hectares of surface and beautifully forested slopes, proved to be the ideal playground for this adventure. Apart from us and a fisherman on the shore of the lake, there often was no living soul to be spotted. It sometimes felt as if I was in middle of a Norwegian fjord.
After a few hours of paddling and taking pictures we arrived at the split of the 2 Ourthes. In the distance a jetty appeared that offered us the safest option to enjoy our lunch and to send our drone up in the air to shoot some aerial footage of our adventure.
When we continue our trip on the right arm of the Ourthe the landscape changes. The slopes next to the river become less high and after a while we hit a waterfall that then becomes the turning point of our journey.
On the way back we spot a number of places on the banks of the Ourthe where our tent would fit right in, should we have taken it. There is another advantage of the Onak that we notice when mooring. With his weight of only 17kg, you can easily lift it out of the water just by yourself.
After 8 hours of paddling, Carlos spots our departure point and with the finish in reach our stomachs begin to growl.
Time for our review of the Onak:
- Strengths
- compact in folded condition
- light weight / ease of transport
- good looking and ingenious design (eye-catcher)
- robust material
- position in the water / speed (it sometimes was difficult to keep up with the Onak with the rented kayak)
- personalized url on the Onak
- Possible points for improvement
- the 'buckle-system'. (we have been struggling with it the during our first attempts)
- the seats (these sometimes came loose during sailing)
- the stability (little learning curve - during the next trip we kept it dry with 2 people in the canoe)
While we're looking for a restaurant in the neighborhood, we see how the evening sun is coloring the sky and we decide to make a short stop at the nearby rock wall of Le Hérou. Soon more about this stop in a new blogpost.
Info:
More info about the reservoir of Nisramont and its surroundings: Tourism Office of the Belgian Luxembourg.
More info about the reservoir of Nisramont and its surroundings: Tourism Office of the Belgian Luxembourg.
We did park our car here: Barrage et Lac de Nisramont 1, 6983 Nisramont.
You will also find a Motorhome parking on this location.
You will also find a Motorhome parking on this location.
Our photos are shot with a Fujifilm X-T20 + Fujinon XF 18-55mm 2.8-4 that you can buy at Bartok Shop
Thanks to team Onak for lending us this handsome canoe. We are a fan!
If you want to learn more about the Onak Canoes then have a look on their website for more inspiration and info.
If you want to learn more about the Onak Canoes then have a look on their website for more inspiration and info.